MARTINSTOWN will restructure the club’s training to achieve its full potential, captain Sam Kershaw has revealed.

Experienced duo Steve Gerety and Dave Trotter will lead sessions for Martinstown’s highly talented squad as they look to climb up the Dorset Premier League ladder.

Martinstown have finished fourth in 2018 and 2020 but were one place off relegation in 2019 and 2017. The Villagers achieved seventh place in 2016.

With future stars such as Will Maltby, Jenson Stewart plus Sean and Finlay Williams joining former Dorset star Ed Nichols, Kershaw and all-rounder Ryan Chase, the outlook is bright for the Villagers.

Speaking to Echosport about the decision to revamp training methods, Kershaw said he hopes to eventually win Dorset’s top league.

He said: “We’ve got a really strong squad but we maybe needed something extra.

“We’ve been in the Premier League for enough seasons, but recently we’ve been dropping towards the bottom end.

“As a club, we’re better than that.

“The potential we’ve got is a lot higher.

“We’ve got Steve and Dave at the club anyway, and it’s just a case of them restructuring training.

“Dave’s coming up with plans and we’ve got the facilities and capabilities, so why not use them?

“We’re going to have proper training sessions, go back to basics, and build from there.”

He added: “They are still young, so the ability to learn through coaching is great.

“We should be performing better. It’s not going to be an overnight success and we win the league, but it’s a case of over the next couple of years pushing up the table and start challenging more.

“The goal is to win the league at some point. It will take time to change the way we approach games.

“People want to play certain ways, but there’s certain ways you’ve got to play to win games.

“It’s adjusting our thought process. We don’t want to give up a Saturday just to go and lose every week.”

Elsewhere at Lower Ashton Farm, Kershaw will have a new vice-captain in Maltby to help establish the younger side of the club.

“We have got a younger team, so it brings that connection to the younger players,” Kershaw explained.

However, Nichols is expected to be out for the season after having multiple operations on a broken ankle sustained in a six-a-side football match this winter.

It means Sean Williams is likely to take over wicketkeeping duties, adding to his opening batsman role.

“Ed will be a massive loss,” Kershaw admitted. “The state his ankle’s in, he can’t even drive. It’s pretty bad.

“We hope he’ll be back next season, but we’ll see. He’s gutted.”

Another emerging talent, Charlie Durant, will also lead Martinstown’s evening league side, while the club’s popular women’s team will continue in addition to a Sunday side.

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